Spring toggle support



Dec. Z8 1926.

P. E. TODD SPRING TOGGLE SUPPORT 4 .Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Occ.A 27, 1924 INVNTR 0 W32/04.

FTT URNEY Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,163

P. E. TODD SPRING TOGGLE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W Y HM JM W WW m Q N .wg W U www H M b w 3 u a Vl P -ll nu Mm- .o 171 .Ill

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P. E. TODD SPRING TOGGLE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5..

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P. E. TODD SPRING TOGGLE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 2'7l 1924 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTRl 0M ef/M. EY

HTTRNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATEN 1,612,163 T OFFICE.

PAUL E. rom), or DETnorr, MICHIGAN,

SPRING TOGGLE SUPPORT.

VApplication ltiled October 27, 1924. Serial No. 346,020.

This invention relates to 'a spring toggle support for permitting a. supported article or object to` move through a more or less definitely predetermined range of pos sible travel, while interposing a minimun.y of resistance thereto and maintaining a prac tically unchanging supporting stress, thus reducing the liability of transmitting mjurious structural strains thereto, or to the structural elements of the building wherein it is located. It is of special util'it in eiiect-l ing the adequate support of hig pressure superheated steam pipes, which experience has shown tend to develop high and varying stresses and relative positions due to high temperatures and variations in temperature.

`In the accompanying drawings I have shown the various forms of my improved device as applied thereto; but it4 is ot' course obvious that with little or no change the ideas hexein disclosed could be rendered equallyuseful in'other fields of use as well, and I de-4 sire my disclosure and claims to be understood accordin ly. i

ln the drawings:

Figure lis anelevational view, partly in dotted-in phanto1`1","showing one form of my improved construction' in position for supporting a steam or similar pipe from a beam or similar structurall element.

.Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows 4, showing a modified form of my improved` construction, wherein a cage or confining frame is used to effect the inward compression of a single horizontally disposed spring, in place of centrally applied pressure outwardly upon two cooperating springs.

Figure 7 is an elevational view taken `at right angles from the position from which i Figure 6 was taken.

ed and marked 'vwith reference to Figure 8 is an elevational view of a further y.modified form of my improved constuction, in which a 'combination of thecage construction shown in Figure 6 and compounded levers are relied upon to secure the combined toggle eli'ect and spring resistance thereto.

Figure9 is an elevational view of the device ot'. FigureS, taken from a position at right angles thereto,

Inthe case of largesteam pipes in power and central heating plants,`experience has shown that under varying conditions of heat and steam pressure a point carefull selectjects near it -wiI sometimes vary in `location as muchas sevehinches, due to the buckling andexpansionspf the pipeV when subjected to the temperaure .of superheated steam.

pended from cei ing beams or other structuralelements. an in `other 4cases supported `from beneath, b it in either instance it is not only advisable ut necessaryto ailord these members suiici ntly firm support to constitute a workm nlike installation, and at the same time to adquately provide for the dis- `In some cases thse pipes are preferably'sus- Xed obtorting strains ,]u'st remarked upon, without v resultant impairment of either thepipe or "the support.

In the accompanying drawings lI have'illustrated various` forms of apparatus designed toc'ope with theseconditions,J or`with similarly resultant conditions as to other or analogous constructions, 12 representing in 4Figure 1 afceiling beam, from which is supported, if desired on'rollers 13, a 'sling or 4supporting frame piece 14, which, in a posi-y tion Vparallel with the beam 12 and crosswise vof the vsteam pipe 1,5 shown in Figure 1, is considerably broader at its base than atA its top, beam-engagingl portion. 'Pivotally supported, as at 16l and 17 respectively, adjacent either end of the sling 14 are a pair of cage or abutment members 18 and 19 respectively, against which are adapted to rest the lower ends of the compression springs 20 and 21, against the upper ends of which rest the companion cage members 22 and 23, from each of which stems 24 and 25 extend lengthwise of their springs 20 and 21 to a point beyond the ,f lower 'end of its cage .piece 14. The screw-threaded lower end of each stem carries on its end an adjusting nut 26, which engages against the lower face of its cage piece 18 (or 19)- in such a way that l ythe upon .each spring-20 for. 21 can `be regulated Yzo ` represent desired'. The two top-cage pieces 22l and .4 23 are joined Abyithefpivot pin 27 which'r Y plskses through an leye at the; top end ofthe piece 28,-which extends to 'adjustable l connection with the. pipe-supporting'V loo .29; 1 adjustability vof the formeras regar s hei ht of the pipe is securedfthrough the m ium of the-swivel nut 30.12- g If for any reason the initial Weighting lengthwise of the link 28fexceedsV what was intended as regards the normal'load upon ythe toggle support, provision is made for preventing an'undesiredsagging, by arranging that the nut 30Vshallengage downwardly against a projecting shou der'or point 30a in the bottom of the slin structure 14. Of course the lateral buckling movement 'of the pipe 15 is made possiblewithout substantia eiect upon its supportingelements', through the Ifact thatthe entire slin ment 14 ma' 'move lengthwise of the pull downwardly or vthrust vupwardlyupon the link 28, and consequently totransmit through the mediuniof each of the u per cage pieces 22 and 23 an actuating orte` upon the springs 20 and 21. As brought out in diagrammatic Figure 3,'the. nuts 26-and 30 are, in the process of yassemblingor in-n stallation of the apparatus, sofpositioned on their stems 24 and 25 and 28 respectively that allowance is made foi-.vertical ,movement of the link 28'* between the points .b

and c, theormen ofwhich'ma'y be taken to" the positionof ,the parts' with-fthe' f normal cold' (or hot) condition of the pipe.

prevailing and the latter lof which may sim-- ilarly beooked upon asre resenting'the normal hot (or cold) con ition thereof.

v The 'points a and d represent what may be thev link 28.'

designated as the allowance positions or ex- A tra margin of movability allowedor by the positioning of the nuts26 against the abut-l mentsfo'f'the s'ringsand ofthe nut 304 on pull (or lift) whatever'be the expanded .relative position of the pipe as regards itssupresult of the angular position of' the stems 24 and 25 and the resultant degree of compression upon their respective springs 2() and 21,. is .apractically uniform stress componentv upon they link 28 and. its supported elements at'any verticalpomt along the line e' .of said" diagrammatic Figure 3.

Of oourse,' `upon as1ight diminution of the distorting; stress due to the expansion or contraction' of the pipe 15, the transmitted vnannies desired l. normal or initial." compression' ,tance above the floor level.

.- he purpose of the device; being to maintain a substantially unchanged compressive pull upon the toggle springs .is y each cooperating element rises to a more sharply angular position relative-l modllied, an

to-the other than was the case when the dyistortin'gl stress duel-to the expansive 4or'- bucklingof the pipe 15 was-at itsheigllt, the d1stort1ng stressfreferred to above 'being the actuating force necessary v to cause thefspring toggle support to move throughv .75 service show that it responds'to very slight variations in .the distorting stresses.

its range of action. Tests of. devices 1n Figure 4, as already noted in the preliminary remarks, represents 'a positioning of the toggle springmechanism beneath or sub- Bof jacent to the pipe 15,'as for example, when 1t 1s desired to run a pipe only a short dis- In this case each of the toggle springs 20 and 21 has its pins 16? and 17 supported from integral struts 3l, lwhich rise from-the -base'32, bei neathwhich is the bed plate' 33 suitably aninterposed to carefor the lateral and sidewise motion f the. pipe or other supported element', similarly, to the action of the rollers 13 in the device of Figure 1. The pins 32'? )serve to.' transmit any lateral motion in' this respect, as well as maintaining va. pivotal center-at`32 for the toggle spring elements rchored to the floor by foundation bolts 33. Inthis case ball or roller bearings 32l are on either side, the stops 32d limiting the downward motion in the: same manner as the shoulder 30'in the'device of Figure 1.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown a modified formiof construction, in which there is substituted lfor the vrtwo toggle springs 20 and 2l Vheretofore involved ay single compression spring 34, which is confined'. between the horizontally movable abutments 35 and 36,

.the former of which is connected by the ilanking bolts 37, the cross-yoke 38" and the pivot stem v39, with'the to gle leverv 41,

whereas the latter is connecte with the toggle lever 40 through the medium of the stem 42 and the pivot pin 43. The normal tension-of these parts upony the contained springs 34, and, if included, 34* and 34", is

v regula'table bymeans of the bolts 44 and 45 .respective1y.- The pipe or sleeve 42l which enoiroles' the stem 42 serves to positively prevent theabutments 35 and 36 from being forced beyond a predetermined point toward one another in excess of what resistance thereto is previously; furnished by the spring 34. -The cage is hung from the superiorly (positioned support 46 by the pivotconnecte links 47 and/48, the lower ends of which 4are ltraversed by the bolts 43 and 39 respectively.A The meeting upper ends of the toggle' links40 -and'41 are joined by the pivot pin .49, from which depends the link 49, from which the member to be supporteddependfas in the case of the link 28 of thez'typeshown' in Figures 1 and 2.

l nemica channel beams '49 is here illustratedas the means vof connection from which va centrali rod 49 extends to connection with the4 ele- ,ment to `be supported. In Figures 8 and 9 I have shown a further modified form of 450 is used in the'samemanner as, and associated with 'it similar cage .and abutment connections to, that shown 1n Figures construction, wherein a compression spring has 6 and 7, the frame 52 being supported from the beam 51 on the roller 53. In the floor or platform 54 of the sling are pivotallly supported at their lower ends a pairof li single or central link 58 exerts its pull upon the righthand end of the spring through the medium ofthe abutment piece 60. The two-` toggle levers 6 3 and 64 respectively, are connectedwith the ends of the links 55 and with supporting loop`67.,.or similar object to be tioning` of the s rings 50 the/same resi ient opposition to t le downward movement olf, the toggle elements 63 and 64 is secured as in thei form of construction 'illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, wherein a spring encircles each toggle `a.rm. i v c.'

It is obvious from the' above description that any ty e of spring may be used in the spring togg e su port '.with but very little modification of t e .idea as disclosed above.

lill

'operatively connected therewith and with one another, a frame member bridging the angle enclosed between saidtoggle arms and connected with their outer ends, thereby forming with them a permanently triangular structure of variable angularity according to the strain transmitted to them from the object to be supported, and spring members of superior compressive resistance to the swing of sai gree of nnlpose maximum strain expected from such object, whereby the swing of said arms to positions of complete coaxiality and the resultantterminet-ion of their angular relation to one another and t0 said frame member is revented.

2. In a spring toggle support or a'vari,

antly positionable external element, in combination with a su porting frame, a pair of toggle arms pivotalJ their lower ends and having their obliquely overengaging upper ends pivotally 'joined whose variant support is desired, said frame i y nently triangular structure of variable angumembers 55, which at their upper ends are.

ivotally connected at 56 and 57 respectively with the end of the drawing link 58, and with the yoke 59; said yoke acting todraw' upon its end abutment 61 throu h the me dium of the flanking rods 62,- w ereasthe' larity. and spring elements operatively connected with said toggle arms and capable of of vpivotal union tending to swi correlated in positions 'of permanent though variable angularity, a "connection leading son ly connected therewith at Aresiliently resisting a draw upon their pointl said arms j v toward positions of coaxiality, t e resistingv strength of the springs to such'draw being welly in excess of'l'tlieexpected maximum Astrain from the object to be supported. .3.' In asprng toggle mechanlsm, in comy -'bination with al plurality of toggle members I 85 from the apex thereof to-an object whose vvariant' support is desired, spring .means adapted to yieldingl resist the swing of said toggle members, in uced by increase in the supported,- depends. Thus through the coin-l pounding of these levers and the inter osi-- imposed load, to positions ofchanged angularityin their relative positions, a -framV larly to the line of such" impos strain, be# ing pivotally connected at its ends with the lower ends ofA said toggle members, and means for positively' halting the further mined lyie d on. the part of saidgspring means.

toggle membersl in case the -destrain exceeds a predeter' 4. A toggle mechanism for aifordingsubs stantially uniform support to an external elementv subject to variations in position, comprising a plurality of angular y positoned and terminally pivoted toggle arms. means ,for operatively -connecting their clevis head with 'the object to be supported, spring elements operativel Aconnected with said toggleV arms, where y their movement toward positions of coaxiality with respect to one anotheris yieldin ly opposed, and abutmentl elements whereby the swing of said arms past a certain is positivelyI halted.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifica tion.

PAUL E. TODD.

point short of coaxiality 70.' and operatively connected vwith the object` 

